IQ Magazine - June 2010 by Initiative Foundation

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IQ Magazine

JUNE 2010

Contents 18

ABOUT THE COVER: Sentenced. Child letter illustration by Andrea Baumann & John Linn.

28 OUR MISSION:

Unlock the power of central Minnesota people to build and sustain healthy communities. INITIATIVE FOUNDATION GOALS:

F E AT U R E S 18

–Strengthen Economic Opportunity –Preserve Key Places and Natural Resources –Support Children, Youth, and Families –Build Organizational Effectiveness –Encourage the Spirit of Giving

D E PA R T M E N T S 4

Kathy’s Note Contrasts

IQ Points Your Two-Minute Digest

Better Off? The Mythology of Parental Incarceration

Unwanted Inheritance Are Children Condemned to Repeat Criminal Cycles?

Parenting Behind Bars Classes Teach Inmates How to Connect with Their Children

Unretired Incarceration Calls Grandparents to Parent Again

Guest Editorial: All My Children U.S. Should Adopt Another Bill of Rights

The Invisible Children Shame, Lack of Data Conceal the Impacts of Incarceration

Our Turn

The Hardest Absence

Children’s Stories of Life on the Outside

Teachers, Counselors Help Students Cope with Parental Loss

The Great Divide

From the Inside Out

Annual Report

Inmate Visitations Separate Families, Viewpoints

Initiative Foundation Invests in Volunteer Leadership, County Solutions

2009 in Focus

While shopping or visiting downtown Nisswa, did you ever wish there was a lakeside park close by where you could hang out, rest, go walking, fish or even take a dip in the lake? The Friends of Nisswa Lake Park are raising funds to protect and acquire a 2.3 acre parcel of land for the purpose of a lakeside park on Nisswa Lake in the City of Nisswa. The funds you contribute will support the work of protecting and acquiring the land needed for the Nisswa Lake Park. All contributions are tax deductible through our partnership with the Brainerd Lakes Area (BLA) Community Foundation which is a 501c-3 non profit organization. There are several ways to give to the Nisswa Lake Park to leave your own legacy: Individual Donation - Become a “Friend of Nisswa Lake Park”; Gifts from the Heart - Give a gift in someone's name in memory or in honor of someone you love; and Planned Giving - Leave a legacy gift so future generations can enjoy a wonderful lakeside park.

• 2.3 Acre Park Area • Located across 371 from Downtown Nisswa Square • Swimming Area • Fishing Pier • Boat Slips for Boat Docking • Walking & Biking Trail connecting to the Paul Bunyan Trail • Pavilion area for weddings and special events • Mature White Pines • Picnic area • Beautiful Sunsets • Overlooking Nisswa Lake

“ It is our belief that the addition of a public park and beach area on Nisswa Lake has regional significance and will greatly enhance the Brainerd Lakes Area’s appeal to visitors and the greater community...this proposed facility's close proximity to the businesses in Nisswa and the Paul Bunyan

”

Trail will also make it unique in our region. –Brainerd Lakes Area Development Corporation.

a Legacy for Future Generations.. g n i v a Le

For more information regarding the park design, maps, pledge forms, brochures, etc., e-mail the Friends of Nisswa Lake Park at lehmanconsulting@nisswa.net; or contact Brian Lehman, Nisswa Mayor, 218-838-4158; Erin Herman, Nisswa Elementary School Principal, 218-821-3760; Eric Wiltrout, Lakewood Bank, 218-892-0532; or Jan Pierce, Nisswa P&Z Commission, 218-963-7394. Checks should be made payable to “BLA Community Foundation” with a notation of “Friends of Nisswa Lake Park”. Send your tax deductible donation to The Friends of Nisswa Lake Park, PO Box 262, Nisswa MN 56468.

Kathy’s Note

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Contrasts Dear Friends, My only daughter, Melanie, was three and a half weeks from her baby’s delivery date. I was busy making plans. If she went early, I would skip this meeting. If she was late, I could attend that one. Conference calls, telecommuting, packing lists … you know me. Early on a Saturday morning, the phone rang loudly through the house. “Mom, I think my water broke,” Melanie quavered, “and we’re not ready.” Neither was I. The young couple’s long to-do list included washing baby clothes, finishing the nursery, and trading in their car. Mine included countless meetings, presentations and strategy sessions as the foundation prepares for its next five years. The worry and unpreparedness that our family felt at the prospect of an early arrival is an infinitely small slice of the emotions and challenges experienced by incarcerated parents. Melanie’s question, “How will we do this when we haven’t even finished our childbirth classes?” is nothing compared to questions like “How will we make our rent payment? When will I see my dad again? What will I say to my friends and teachers at school?” The children of incarcerated parents endure incredible loss, stigma and uncertain futures. They have committed no crime, but they clearly receive a sentence of their own. Our foundation takes a risk when it publishes a magazine like this. We risk the perception of advocating for easier criminal punishment, of being oblivious to economic realities, of becoming too focused on a narrow population. I assure you, we are none of these things. With more than 10,000 Minnesota children with parents in the criminal justice system, this issue impacts the future of our communities. But more importantly, it impacts the future of these children. The first step is to understand the problem and the fact that most children need an opportunity to build relationships with their parents, and to be supported during this difficult time. Our senior program manager, Linda Kaufmann realized this urgent need several years ago. With funding from the Minneapolis Foundation, she helped create our Inside Out Connections project to engage volunteers in serving impacted children and their families. (Thanks, Linda, and congratulations on your recent Bush Fellowship.) As for my story, let’s just say that this grandma tried to keep her speedometer lower than her pulse. Truman Anderson Lund was born on May 22 in St. Paul. We are thrilled to have him join our family. Enjoy the magazine.

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Kathy Gaalswyk, President Initiative Foundation

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Intelligence

10,000 to 15,000 Minnesota children are thought to have a parent in jail or prison. No agency tracks the actual number.

Between 1991 and 2007, the number of incarcerated fathers rose 77 percent. The number of incarcerated mothers rose 131 percent. Most offenses are considered to be nonviolent or drug-related. H

Nationwide, more than 6.7 million children are in the care of grandparents or other family members.

Impacted children suffer from fear, guilt, emotional withdrawal, feelings of abandonment, social stigmas and financial hardship. H

A childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s risk of criminal involvement increases up to six times when he or she has an incarcerated parent, an often cited and challenged statistic.

In most cases, both children and inmates benefit from opportunities to continue their relationships. H

Due to financial and security issues, most jails and prisons offer limited noncontact or strictly supervised visits, which can inhibit healthy relationships.

“Quotations” “They are forgotten. We think of the victim. We think of the offender. We just don’t think of the family.” –Ebony Ruhland Council on Crime and Justice

“I felt like my dad was never there for me. I had an epiphany—the guy I thought I hated the most was the man I was turning into.” –Korey Sufka Former Inmate

“Most of the families already are facing a number of barriers—poverty, unemployment, a lack of adequate housing. Incarceration can be the sledgehammer that breaks things apart.” –Melissa Froehle Minnesota Fathers & Families Network

“These girls are the heroes in their own stories. They’ve faced challenges and villains. Now they can decide where they want their stories to go from here.” –Carolyn Kolovitz Girl Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin River Valleys

“No child is sentenced to a life of crime. They need guidance and an opportunity to form relationships with their parents, reach their own conclusions, and make their own choices.”

–Kathy Gaalswyk Initiative Foundation

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Better Off? The Mythology of Parental Incarceration By Dawn Zimmerman | Illustration by Chris McAllister

he conventional wisdom is that children of incarcerated parents are just plain better off . . . better off without parental relationships, without risks of violence, without knowing the painful details of what happened to their mother or father. It seems to make good sense. But it doesn’t. We consulted the experts and the research to bust the myths that kids are better off alone, which in most cases, couldn’t be further from reality.

> Myth: Kids are better off without parents who don’t care enough to keep themselves out of jail. > Reality-Check: Most benefit from connecting with the ones they love most. Maintaining close ties during imprisonment reduces a child’s emotional distress, leads to fewer problematic behaviors, and may prevent many negative outcomes later in life, according to a 2008 report from the Urban Institute in Washington, D.C. “Treating these relationships like they don’t have value is really detrimental,” said Melissa Froehle, an attorney who now serves as the policy and program director for the Minnesota Fathers and & Families Network. It’s so detrimental, in fact, that a 2002 report by the University of North Carolina’s Jordan Institute for Families urged social workers to “maintain (the parent-child) connection by every means possible.” “There is a lot in the research that shows children whose parents are prison have better outcomes if they actually have regular contact with their parents and maintain some kind of relationship with their parent,” said Jessica Meyerson, research scientist at Wilder Research in St. Paul. “No matter how strange it seems, children can indeed have healthy and positive relationships with their incarcerated parents.” > Myth: Kids are better off if they aren’t exposed to the pain of knowing what happened to their parent. > Reality-Check: Not knowing the truth hurts more.

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Lying to children or withholding information about their parents’ incarceration reinforces the stigma and deepens the sense of loss and shame. When children do not know their parents' whereabouts or are uninformed, they often feel confused, anxious and fearful, according to a report by Dr. Denise Johnston, founder of the Center for Children of Incarcerated Parents. “Children of prisoners are more likely to have negative reactions to the experience when they cannot talk about it,” Johnston said. The silence rarely lasts as children look to the Internet and relatives for information. That can lead to resentment of the caregiver for not sharing the information and giving them the opportunity to share their feelings – just as they would with any other loss of a parent. > Myth: Kids are better off if they don’t have relationships with parents who are violent criminals. > Reality-Check: Most inmates are nonviolent offenders. Child contact should not be permitted in all cases, especially when parents have committed violent crimes or pose a threat to their children, Froehle said, but that is rare. Since 1978, nonviolent convictions account for most of the growth in America’s prisons. Three out of every four inmates leaving state prisons in 2004 had been convicted of a nonviolent crime, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Although serious, these crimes are most often related to drug addiction and don’t involve physically assaulting a victim. The Minnesota Department of Corrections ranked drug offenses as the primary reason for imprisonment in 2009, reflecting a national trend that has states considering the financial and social costs of incarceration vs. substance abuse treatment. IQ

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Unwanted Inheritance Are Children Condemned to Repeat Criminal Cycles? By Mackenzie Lobby | Photograph by John Linn

“

y daughter asked me one day out of the blue, ‘Dad, is anyone perfect?’ She then looked at me without missing a beat and said, ‘I think you’re perfect.’”

NEW PERFECTIONIST: Korey Sufka was in and out of Minnesota correctional facilities 20 times before reclaiming his life with his family. He said he wants to set a better example for his daughter, Kalileigh.

Korey Sufka recalled the words of his now seven-year-old daughof a parent due to incarceration, the generational cycle of crime makes for ter, Kaileigh. He knew he was far from perfect. Having been on a whirla bleak outlook. In general, experts suggest that children have a wide wind tour of Minnesota county jails and the Lino Lakes Correctional range of responses to this trauma, including anger, anxiety, fear, sadness, Facility, for everything from domestic assault, to theft and check foraggression and violence. “The way family systems work is that they perpetuate behaviors. Those gery, he had been largely absent from his daughter’s life. systems are extremely difficult to break out of even when you’re trying to,” His actions, he later theorized, were in retaliation of his father. A said Dr. Michael Robertson, a St. Cloud area psychologist who has worked bitter divorce and feelings of abandonment left him without a male role extensively with children and their parents model. Falling in with a crowd who who have been incarcerated. lived outside the rules, Sufka chose “Incarceration can create a disruption a path that would land him in jail or “I had an epiphany—the guy I thought of the family,” he added. “The issues are difprison twenty separate times. I hated the most was the man ferent than what might be seen in the rest of “I felt like my dad was never the population. I think those things have a there for me, yet in those times of I was turning into.” big impact on kids.” loneliness I was thinking, ‘I’m not Today, Korey Sufka is the mentor prothere for my daughter either,’” he gram coordinator for the CMNRP. By all accounts, he has managed to break said. “I had an epiphany—the guy I thought I hated the most was the the cycle. He recalls the message he brings to incarcerated parents. man I was turning into. I certainly didn’t want my daughter using drugs “I tell them that our kids view us as perfect people, so our actions give when she was 16 or 17, because her dad was always in jail or prison.” them their definition of what perfect is. We as parents need to understand Indeed, Sufka’s fears were not unfounded. Research shows that a that if we are developing their impressions of perfect, we need to do some child’s risk of criminal involvement may increase up to six-fold when he major soul searching and look at our actions.” or she has a parent who has been incarcerated. In addition to re-entry programs that offer parenting classes, most “Unfortunately, children repeat the behaviors they see and are agree more needs to be done to reach out to the children. The Council on exposed to,” said Lee Buckley, Community Re-Entry Coordinator for Crime and Justice suggests putting in place community awareness programs the Minnesota Department of Corrections. and support groups similar to those for military families. They also emphaJohn Smith, former director of the Central Minnesota Re-Entry size the importance of providing children with role models in the absence of Project (CMNRP), has seen the trend firsthand. “There are a lot of an incarcerated parent. guys coming in for services that are from families with long criminal Despite the statistics, however, Sufka contends that no child—especialhistories,” he said. “It’s inevitable. We can almost predict the percently his own—is condemned to follow the missteps of her parent. age of their kids that are going to have some relationship with the “There is a large group of people who have beaten the odds,” he said. criminal justice system.” “It doesn’t matter how you were conditioned, you can make a change.” IQ With nearly ten million children nationwide experiencing the loss

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Parenting Behind Bars Classes teach inmates how to connect with their children By Liz Potasek | Photograph by John Linn

at Young felt his voice rising when he found his four-year-old son playing with a wall outlet.

FATHER FIGURE: St. Cloud State University Professor Glenn Palm teaches the art of parenting to male inmates at the Minnesota Correctional Facility-St. Cloud.

But this time, he remembered to stay calm. Young, who lives in to be a good dad to their kids. It gets them in the habit of thinking about Little Falls, kneeled next to his son and explained the dangers of playtheir kids and being part of their life, Palm said. ing with electricity. His 11 year-old daughter watched intently. “How As a part of Palm’s 12-week program, fathers are also given the option come you didn’t yell at him or spank him?” she asked. of videotaping themselves reading a book to give to their child. “Men in “Dad’s learned a different way of dealing with things,” Young said. prison are one of the most open groups of fathers I’ve worked with over Young’s parenting lessons came at one of the darkest periods of his the years,” Palm said. “They’re not as defensive in some ways about their life, during a 100-day stay in the Morrison County Jail. He credits his parenting. Many of them feel like they didn’t have good role models or any punishment and the unexpected availrole models growing up, which creates a ability of parenting classes for helping different sense of openness.” In fact, educators say that finding a him become a better father. receptive audience isn’t a problem. One Parenting education isn’t the only “(Parenting classes) can play a critical of the biggest barriers is finding qualifactor in rehabilitation, but educators fied educators who have time to volunsay the classes—when coupled with role in helping men think about teer, or volunteers who can access support systems like job placement services, educational opportunities, themselves and what’s important in life.” enough training resources to become licensed parent educators. and family—can put offenders on a Judith Myers-Walls, an associate better path. professor of developmental studies at “We all have to work together Purdue University, has developed a curriculum called Parenting Piece by towards that end of recidivism,” said Glen Palm, a St. Cloud State Piece, which is used by some educators in central Minnesota. It focuses on University professor who teaches parenting classes at the Minnesota helping incarcerated parents recognize developmental stages in their chilCorrectional Facility-St. Cloud. “(Classes) can play a critical role in dren’s life and communicate effectively with their children’s caregivers. helping men think about themselves and what’s important in life.” “We really try to focus on the idea of having fun with your kids, and Parenting programs vary widely in prisons and jails throughout looking at them as an asset and not just a drain on your energy or source Minnesota. Often, there is no standard curriculum or schedule. In genof frustration,” Myers-Walls says. eral, trained volunteer educators teach inmates practical ways to comYoung, who has been on the other side of the teacher’s desk, can municate, discipline and build positive relationships with their children speak to the importance of experienced parent educators. He appreciatas absentee parents. ed his educator, JanMarie Weidenbach, who took time out of her day to Palm, who has been teaching parenting classes in prison for about spend with him and other inmates. “It felt so good to know that people 15 years, also focuses on communication in his classes, along with ways care,” he said. for inmates to support their children. Participants are encouraged to He is now trying to pass the lessons on to his kids. IQ write journals, documenting something they can do in prison each day

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Unretired Incarceration Calls Grandparents to Parent Again By Sarah Colburn | Photograph by John Linn

GRAND IN SPIRIT: Sue and Chris Bowerman of Mora personify the growing number of big-hearted grandparents who take over parenting roles for jailed children.

ue and Chris Bowerman were relatively new grandparents when they received a panicked phone call that forever changed their plans for retirement.

It was 2001. Their son was in jail for theft and armed burglary, and the girlfriend he left behind was struggling to take care of their two very young children. At the end of the line was the girlfriend’s distraught mother, with whom the children had been staying. “Can you pick up the grandkids?” she asked, but it really wasn’t a question. “You need to come right away.” After the incarceration, the young family had reached its breaking point. Chris Bowerman jumped into his pickup truck. When he arrived, everything the children owned—toys, clothes, diapers, formula—was thrown into garbage bags. As he loaded the bags, he had a sense that this stay might be longer than usual. He was right. The Bowermans now have legal guardianship of Kalob, 9; Kalista, 8; and Kali, 6. It’s a story told increasingly often across Minnesota and the U.S. At a time when their friends are taking up hobbies, many grandparents find themselves postponing the days of financial freedom and comfort to revisit a time in their lives they thought had long passed. “We were still dealing with our own kids, and now we’re parenting their kids,” Sue Bowerman said. “It can cause some pretty rampant emotions, but it’s important to us that they have a family. You need to know where you came from.” More than 6.7 million kids nationwide are in the care of grandparents or other family members, according to the Minnesota Kinship Caregivers Association (MKCA). That’s compared to about 600,000 in formal foster care. Though no agency tracks the statistics, child advocates say that many are placed with family members when a parent becomes incarcerated. Although Sue Bowerman considers the second chance at parenting to be a blessing, she quickly realized that past experience offered no shortcuts. And there were few breaks. “We were overwhelmed,” she said. “We didn’t have daycare, we did-

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n’t have car seats, and we didn’t have a lot of money. Their mom relinquished childcare assistance, food stamps and medical assistance. It wasn’t a lot, but it helped.” The lack of support and services available to grandparents is why Sue Bowerman founded Parenting Again—Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, a support and social networking group in Mora. The group meets monthly and has expanded to include 13 adults and 18 children. Members discuss everyday parenting challenges and listen to guest speakers cover topics like adoption, financial stability, and the pros and cons of allowing visits from biological parents. The grandparents relate not only because of their unique situations, but because many are caring for grandchildren who have mental health issues or disabilities. Sharon Olson, president of MKCA and vice president of GrandFamilies of America, advocates for the rights of loving grandparents who want to formalize relationships with their grandchildren. Many take over caregiver roles before social service agencies are aware of abuse or neglect situations. Grandparents then risk losing custody of children when courts order foster care with the goal of reunifying children with their parents. Olson drafted what is now known as Minnesota’s third-party custody law, which helps “de facto” caregivers pursue the best interests of children. When serving in a parental capacity for at least 6 to 12 months, grandparents or other relatives may petition courts for legal custody of a child without parental consent. Olson said that MKCA is working on new procedures that outline preferred family placements of children when social workers must remove them from their homes. The agency will also propose legislation that provides grandparents with the same financial assistance as foster or adoptive parents. As for the Bowermans, they have been able to maintain a relationship with their son and the mother of his children, and they now allow them to visit. Money and personal energy are still in short supply. “It’s extremely important for relative caregivers to understand that they’re the best caregivers for these kids,” Olson said. “It’s their personal stories that show us that we need to change.” IQ

Parenting

Relatives as Parents Grandparents and relatives raising kin are real-life safety nets who keep children safe and families together while parents are unable to parent. Although there are many reasons why relatives find themselves parenting, the issues they face are similar: legal, financial, emotional.

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Who is Child Care Choices?

Child & Adult Care Food Program A USDA program providing nutrition education, reimbursement and monitoring of nutritious meals and snacks served to children in family child care homes. Child Care Resource & Referral Providing resources and assistance to those doing child care and those looking for child care.

Relatives As Parents Program (RAP) Serving Grandparents and others raising children of families or friends. Early Childhood Conferences Several annual learning opportunities for child care professionals.

320-251-5081 or 800-288-8549 www.childcarechoices.net Or visit the Minnesota Kinship Caregivers Association at www.mkca.org

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UNCOUNTED: 11 year-old Shadae clings to her mother, Diane Baker. She is among the unknown thousands of Minnesota’s “invisible children” who have a parent in jail or prison.

About 10,000 to 15,000 Minnesota children have lost a parent to jail or prison, according to Parenting with Purpose. (No one keeps track of the actual number.) Many watched as their mother or father was arrested. They deal with trauma, sadness, fear and guilt. They suffer emotionally, financially, even physically. The crimes are detectable, but the victims are not.

JUNE 2010

Handwritten letters offer healing connections to incarcerated parents.

—Jessica Meyerson / Wilder Research Scientist

“It’s an issue that most Minnesotans don’t think about,” said Jessica Meyerson, Wilder Research scientist who specializes in evaluating programs that serve at-risk youth and their families. “Most people would be shocked by the statistics.” If the basic needs of some children are not being met, Meyerson said, it’s not because people don’t care. It’s because agencies don’t know their identities or locations. Children of incarcerated parents have received little attention or publicity, because of a lack of data in Minnesota and across the country. The Minnesota Department of Corrections doesn’t require inmates to report whether they are parents. The Minnesota Department of Education doesn’t track impacted students. Many families are too ashamed or distraught to seek help. Some non-custodial caregivers don’t report issues because they are afraid of losing the children.

“We don’t have good mechanisms for identifying these kids,” Meyerson added. “But we have enough data to know that this is a serious problem.” “They are forgotten,” said Ebony Ruhland, director of research at the Minnesota Council on Crime and Justice and author of a 2006 study on children of incarcerated parents. “We think of the victim. We think of the offender. We just don’t think of the family.”

Po p u l a t i o n B o o m Diane Baker never thought she would be spending her Sundays visiting a prison inmate. But she said she developed a serious relationship with a man before recognizing his hidden lifestyle. She thought she could help him overcome the generations of criminal drug activity in his family. She was wrong. A drug conviction put him behind bars before she gave birth to their daughter, Shadae.

“I felt ashamed,” said Baker, who now lives in Brooklyn Park with 11 year-old Shadae. “There is such a stigma attached to it. I had a good job and could support us. I came from a good family of hard-working Christians. I felt isolated because I had no one to talk to.” The nation’s jail and prison population has quadrupled in the past 25 years, pushing the U.S. to the highest incarceration rate in the world. It is now estimated that one in ten American children have a parent in prison or on probation or parole. The number of children with a father in prison rose 77 percent, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. While 92 percent of incarcerated parents are fathers, a growing number of mothers also are spending time behind bars. The number of children with incarcerated mothers soared 131 percent from 1991 to 2007, the Bureau reports. “There are actually a lot of programs that CONTINUED ON PAGE 50

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CHILDREN’S STORIES OF LIFE ON THE OUTSIDE Three children share what it’s like to lose an incarcerated parent. And find them again.

By Liz Potasek | Photography by John Linn

JUNE 2010

The Stillwater correctional facility’s visiting room was hot and uncomfortable. Amon Hodges arrived there from church and was still wearing his good suit. He had a choice of three places to sit: his mom’s lap, his dad’s lap or the chair next to his mom. In a corner of the room, there were a few beat-up books that didn’t interest him. No toys were allowed. Amon’s mother, Laura, helped him remove his stuffy jacket, but a guard quickly approached and told them he needed to wear it. Taking it off was against the rules. Amon put his jacket back on and did his best to be good. As a safety measure, even bathroom visits aren’t permitted during visitations. After Amon graduated from diapers, Laura still brought a spare because he couldn’t always “hold it” for the entire hour. She would walk him to a changing table and help him relieve himself in a diaper. “He did not like that,” she said. Such is the life of crime, punishment and prison security, which some parents pass along to their children. Every rule is in place for a reason, although not every reason is understandable to 3 year-olds. By now, they all know the drill. Amon has visited his incarcerated father regularly since he was born.

Aftermath of Arrest Amon’s parents had been married less than a year when Amon’s father was arrested for criminal sexual conduct. Laura was three months pregnant. She remembers the early days of her pregnancy—after her husband’s arrest—as a lonely time. Her friends and family weren’t speaking to her, and she couldn’t imagine becoming a mother again. (Laura also has an 18 year-old daughter.) It wasn’t until she sought counseling for adoption that she really had a chance to talk about being pregnant. “All I needed was somebody to talk to me, and then I knew I wanted my son,” she said. “None of that other stuff mattered. It just mattered that I was pregnant, and I was going to have a healthy pregnancy.” Amon’s father won’t be eligible for release until Amon is

an adult. Amon’s only interactions with his father take place in a visiting room or during phone calls. Laura is allowing Amon to reach conclusions about his father naturally, and she always answers his questions. However, she still hasn’t told him that his father’s home—the one Amon visits weekly—is actually a prison. Right now, Amon said his father lives in “the big house.” Once, as they waited in the visiting room lobby, Amon paged through a magazine and noticed a picture of a man in a business suit and tie. “That’s a prisoner,” he said. Laura asked him if he knew any prisoners. He said no, he didn’t. Later, he wasn’t so sure. “I feel like he knows and he tiptoes around it,” Laura said. “He’s a deep thinker, and I don’t want to push him.”

Without Dad Laura said that one day, Amon will have to do the same soul searching she did when her husband was arrested and found guilty. Laura won’t talk about her husband’s crime with anyone. She said it’s his story to tell. She decided that it didn’t make sense to punish him or her son by severing their relationship. However, she feels like her son is being punished for the crimes of his father. She believes that there is an unfair assumption that just because her husband is in prison, he doesn’t want to be a father and doesn’t deserve the chance to be one. “He wants to see his son,” Laura said. “Amon was our little love child. We both love him very much.” But she knows that Amon’s father won’t ever teach him to walk or drive a car. He will never sit with him as he does his math homework or tuck him into bed at night. They will never share a meal together or play a board game. That’s the harshest reality.

JUNE 2010

“My dad went to prison for many different reasons,” Justin Cunningham, Jr. said. “Some of them I don’t know. Some of them I do.” Up until 18 months ago, Justin’s father spent most of Justin’s life in prison. Justin never saw his father get arrested, and what he knows of his father’s crime—a 2nd degree assault with a dangerous weapon—was pieced together by things his mother has told him and conversations he wasn’t supposed to hear. “I would think about, ‘Why would he have to do that?’ and all that other stuff, you know? It’s not necessary.” As he enters his teen years, it’s clear that Justin has a lot going for him. He is poised and polite. He’s intelligent and thoughtful. He has a mother who loves him. But he’s also struggling with school and behavior issues at the same time he’s struggling to develop a relationship with his dad. According to Justin’s mother, Kissy Mason, her incarcerated ex-husband believes that a father’s role is to be an authoritarian. He gets frustrated and pulls away when Justin doesn’t respond to his sporadic discipline and advice. “If you have not had that relationship with your child, you can’t think you’re just going to step into that male role of directing those children,” Kissy said. “That’s not being a father.”

Aftermath of Arrest Justin’s parents divorced in 2005—after seven years together—when his father was serving time. Justin was 4 when his father was first incarcerated. Even though they stayed in touch through letters and visits, Justin didn’t grow up feeling close to his father. “Sometimes you need touch to have a relationship,” Justin said. “To bond, you need to do things.” He remembers being bored during visits to prison. “We visited him kind of often,” Justin said. “I’d probably talk to him like 20 or 30 minutes and then doze off.” Kissy tried to fill the roles of two parents. “I would go out,

and I would have to do boy stuff. I would try to do the soccer thing. I did baseball, football,” Kissy said. “We went fishing together; we went camping. I would just try to do the activities that I think a man would do. Yet, there were times when Justin wanted a real dad. “If I was playing soccer, I’d be like ‘Oh, I wish my dad was here to play soccer,’” Justin said. “If I was just doing extra activities, I would think ‘My dad should be doing this with me.’” Kissy said she feels alone when it comes to parenting. If Justin gets sick or has a problem at school, Kissy has to take time away from work. “You have the support from the school or the social workers, but when you need to make tough decisions, it’s hard,” Kissy said. She also said it was a struggle adjusting from two incomes to one, and even now that her ex-husband is out of prison, he struggles to find work to help support his family.

Trying to Connect When Justin’s father was released from prison for the first time, after serving two years, Justin said he wasn’t excited but he was happy for his father. Shortly after, his father committed a parole violation and landed back in prison. When it happened again, Justin began to detach. “It got to the point, well, he’s just going to go to jail anyway, so why should I care?” he said. “I didn’t really know because you never know what my dad’s going to do next.” In the past year and a half, Justin’s dad has managed to stay out of prison. He takes time to see Justin, but the visits haven’t done much to improve their relationship. While Justin remembers missing having a father growing up, he doesn’t really want one now. He said he doesn’t get along with male authority figures. His dad is willing to offer him guidance, but Justin doesn’t want to hear it. “It’s frustrating to me just to watch them interact,” Kissy said, noting that conversations often end up in yelling and cussing. Justin said he is not sure if he wants a relationship with his father anymore. “I think I’m done with him,” he said. “We’ve tried and tried and tried, and it just doesn’t seem to work out. I can’t trust people like that.”

JUNE 2010

In the back of her head, the “why” questions always nag Desirae Menden. Why would her father use drugs and commit a crime? Why would he do that with a daughter at home? Desirae was 3 years old when her father, who had a problem with drug abuse, went to jail for robbery. Desirae and her parents were living in California at the time, and her mother, Bridget, moved to Minnesota to be closer to family shortly after Desirae’s father’s arrest. Despite the distance, Bridget made the decision to be open with her daughter and to let Desirae foster a relationship with her father. “It doesn’t make him no longer a parent [sic],” Bridget said. “We kept things very open.” Desirae, who is now 16, visited her father in prison once when she was 12, and otherwise kept up a relationship with him through letters. He writes her regularly. She tries to write back, but sometimes struggles finding words to write about her life to a man she hardly knows.

Aftermath of Arrest

Questions about her father’s decisions lingered as Desirae navigated her childhood without a dad. The questions are bubbling to the surface more often, now that her father’s release from prison is imminent. He told Desirae and Bridget that he wants to move closer to build a relationship with Desirae. His goal is to see her graduate from high school. “It’s coming to an end soon,” Bridget said. “There’s a lot of mixed feelings about it in this house.” Desirae said she doesn’t know how to feel. She traveled to California to see her father about 4 years ago, and she remembers the visit as a surreal experience. She had seen enough pictures to know what he looked like, but the feeling wasn’t mutual. “He really didn’t recognize me,” she said. “He doesn’t even know me.” The two had a stilted conversation about school, Desirae’s mom, and “basic stuff,” Desirae said. But it didn’t help her feel closer to her father. While Bridget always encouraged Desirae to write her father and supported Desirae in having a relationship with him, she never pushed Desirae to do anything she didn’t want

to do. She understands when Desirae doesn’t return every one of her father’s letters. “I can’t blame her,” Bridget said. “How do you talk to someone you don’t even know?” Desirae missed having a father, especially as a child. She loved visiting her friends’ houses—it seemed they all had “accomplished” dads. They were dads who took their children places and told funny stories and displayed trophies. She hated fielding questions from other children: “Why don’t you have a dad? Where’s your dad?” It’s a lot easier to explain where her dad is now, she said, yet it still can be difficult. “Some people end up judging you for it,” she said.

Building a Relationship?

Desirae said she is angry at her father for his lifelong absence. As she contemplates his return, she is trying to weigh the importance of letting someone who wasn’t—couldn’t be—there for her back in her world. “I’ve made it this far without him in my life,” she said. Feelings of excitement, hesitation, indifference, and anger swirl through her mind. Desirae must sort through the feelings she has, separating them from the feelings she thinks she should have. Should she be feeling happy? Is it okay if she isn’t? One thing Desirae knows for sure—she is blessed to have Bridget for a mother. She’s grateful that her mother has been so supportive. “It happened to her, too, and she’s still helping me,” Desirae said. “She’s open and she’s willing to talk about it.” As she enters her junior year of high school, Desirae is contemplating her future plans and thinking about entering cosmetology school after high school. In addition, “I’m completely anti-drugs,” she said, adding that she plans to be drugfree forever. Even though her father hasn’t been present, knowing her father’s story has changed the way Desirae approaches her life.

JUNE 2010

By Sarah Colburn

Photography by John Linn

Every morning, six year-old Amy Nolan begged and cried not to go to school, even locking herself in her mother’s car. In the classroom she was withdrawn, almost mute, clinging to the playground monitor at recess and shunning her best friends. She melted down into frequent tantrums at home, crumpling and throwing her schoolwork as her grades plummeted. This was not the Amy her family or her teachers knew. But they all knew the reason why. In 2006, Amy’s father was suddenly arrested on assault charges and eventually sentenced to prison. Afterward, Amy virtually shut down. “Everything was too hard, too frustrating,” said her mother, Jolene Howard. “No matter what you did to encourage her, it was just too overwhelming.” Howard contacted her daughter’s teachers for help and explained the arrest. They started journaling back and forth about Amy’s day, but the situation didn’t improve. Though Howard said she couldn’t have asked for more understanding and caring teachers for Amy, no one could provide the right advice or resources to turn the tide. “Maybe the supports were there,” she said, “but the dots didn’t get connected for us.”

Growing Trend?

Tracking kids who are impacted by parental incarceration is currently more of an art than a science. There are no mandatory reporting requirements, and parents often think withholding embarrassing information is in their child’s best interest. Often times, educators aren’t aware of the problem until students act out of character or mention something in an honest and vulnerable moment. Elizabeth Rogers, executive director of student services and special education for the St. Cloud Area School District, said parental incarceration issues seem to be becoming more prevalent. Effects include emotional distress from changes in home addresses, school districts, or pri-

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FEELING ALONE: With the help of her mother and her teachers, six year-old Amy Nolan overcame the sudden loss of her father to incarceration.

JUNE 2010

mary caregivers. Incarceration can also impact a family’s finances, requiring some students to receive unfamiliar services like free and reducedprice lunch. “It definitely has an impact on kids coming to school ready to learn,” Rogers said. “They’re so consumed by an understandably emotional and difficult transition.”

Honest Talks

At Madison Elementary School in St. Cloud, Counselor Teresa Szymanski estimates that seven to ten students experience the pain of losing a parent to incarceration each year. Szymanski coordinates small groups that focus on social and leadership skills and developing a good self-concept. She also counsels children individually and allows them to lead the discussion. She said that intense feelings of anxiety and guilt are toughest to overcome. “These children worry,” she said. “They worry about whether they caused the arrest. They worry about the location and safety of their jailed parent. Children also worry about losing their other parent, and they want to take care of them.” When answering children’s questions, Szymanski advocates a policy of open and honest communication. She advises caregivers to explain the location of the child’s jailed parent, why he or she is there, what their surroundings looks like, and what their day might be like. Most importantly, she insists on reassuring them that their parent is safe. For those who need long-term counseling or deeper professional help, Szymanski said that St. Cloud School District counselors refer children to triage therapists who are able to secure priority mental health appointments and make referrals to agencies like Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Boys & Girls Clubs. “It is important to let children share whatever feelings they have without judgment,” she said. “These feelings may change as part of the grieving process.” For Amy Nolan, who now attends school in Brainerd, a therapist was only part of the solution. More than anything, her mother said she needed time to realize the rest of the family wasn’t going to disappear, to understand daily changes in routines, and to make peace with her father’s absence. “THESE CHILDREN WORRY. They worry about whether they caused the arrest. They worry about the location and safety of their jailed parent. They worry about losing their other parent…” Teresa Szymanski, St. Cloud School Counselor

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Therapy didn’t immediately change Amy’s behaviors, Howard said, but as a mom she learned how to deal with the behaviors and respond to her daughter without enabling her. For Amy, the fear of separation was so strong that she wouldn’t allow Howard go to the grocery store alone or to leave her side at church activities. At night, she refused to sleep in her own bed. “She would ask me questions like, ‘What will happen to me when you die? Will you go away too?’” Howard said. “It broke my heart.”

Connecting with Parents

Through a court-approved safety center, Howard allowed Amy to have supervised visits with her father before he was officially sentenced. She needed time to just sit with him and share a pizza or a burger, Howard said. Child advocates and counselors agree that most children benefit from having relationships with their parents, even if they are in jail or prison. “It gave Amy the opportunity to understand the process of what was going on,” Howard added. “When her dad was sentenced, she had that timeframe in her head. It just made it easier for us to take the baby steps rather than getting it all dumped on her in one weekend.” At Lincoln Elementary School in Little Falls, Social Worker Anita Larsen said that she explains incarceration by conveying the idea that C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 5 4

Loneliness, emotional withdrawal from friends and family Flashbacks to traumatic events related to arrests Feelings of abandonment, concern about uncertain future Academic and classroom behavior difficulties, truancy Embarrassment, awareness of social stigma Aggression and antisocial behaviors Fear, anxiety, sadness and guilt Anger and hyper-arousal Depression and low self-esteem Eating, sleeping and attention disorders SOURCE: CHILD WELFARE LEAGUE OF AMERICA JUNE 2010

n one side are the emotional needs of traumatized children. On the other is the hard reality of budgets and security. This tug of war has played out in the life of Sara Rassier, a drug-related offender who was sentenced to 48 days in the Benton County Jail. Her two children, 13 year-old Jocelyn and 11 year-old Trevor, were sentenced to 48 days without their mom.

I N M AT E V I S I TAT I O N S

By Rachel Reabe Nystrom | Photography by John Linn

Separate Families, Viewpoints “She missed my sister’s birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve,” Trevor ticked off the days on his fingers. The fifth grader has bright blue eyes, freckles and a freshly cut blonde Mohawk. For all his nonchalance, it’s clear that Trevor is happy to have his mom back, even sneaking a hug while she talked. “Forty-eight days away from my kids felt like a lifetime,” Sara, 32, said. “I left it up to them whether or not they wanted to visit me in jail. Right away, my daughter said she wasn’t coming because I put myself there. That was brutal, a reality-check.” Trevor wanted to visit his mother until he learned that they would be separated by glass. “He asked if he would be able to hug or kiss me if I got sad, or if he could hug me at the end of the visit,” Sara recalled. “When I said no, he told me he didn’t think he could do that.” Due to tight budgets and short inmate stays, most Minnesota county jails offer limited visiting opportunities and only non-contact visits. Visitors and offenders talk on telephones while viewing each other on video screens or through glass. Minnesota’s ten correctional facilities offer longer visiting hours and strictly monitored contact visits. During prison visits, intimacy and physical contact is limited to a brief kiss on the cheek, a hug and a handshake at arrival and departure. Visitors are assigned a seat by staff, and offenders are placed across the aisle from their visitors. Children age six and under may sit beside the offender or on the offender’s lap. According to Minnesota Department of Corrections Assistant Commissioner Terry Carlson, the average length of stay for a correctional facility inmate is 27 months. “It’s a long time to be away from family,” she said, “and we try to help offenders maintain contact.” Child advocates, however, aren’t satisfied with the status quo. While they acknowledge that safety and security are primary considerations, they claim that impersonal visits cause undue hardship on innocent children. Unpleasant visiting situations may also strain relationships, which are important for a child to cope with the trauma of losing a parent. In interviews with children of incarcerated parents and their caregivers, a 2006 Minnesota Council on Crime and Justice report

JUNE 2010

we are still parents.

(RIGHT TO LEFT)

Sara Rassier with boyfriend, Jerry, and son, Trevor.

found that prison visitation situations were often neither inviting to families nor conducive to children’s needs. “The end result is that the child and caregiver are punished in tandem with the incarcerated parent,” the study summarized. After learning about “window visiting” practices, Jeremiah Hoffman left his children behind when he served three months in the Benton County Jail last year for domestic assault charges. He refused to allow his three kids, ages 4, 6 and 8, to see him. “I didn’t want them to see the inside of a jail, looking at me through a piece of glass,” Hoffman said. “Not being able to hug them is worse than not being able to see them at all.” The primary caregiver for his children, Hoffman is back home but still dealing with their trauma. “They won’t hardly leave my side.” Ebony Ruhland, director of research and evaluation for the Council on Crime and Justice, hopes for change. “Prisons can be safe and secure and still provide a friendlier atmosphere for visitors,” she said. “They could have books available or activities to give families 34 Initiative Quarterly Magazine

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something to do during the visitation time.” But James Franklin, executive director of the Minnesota Sheriffs’ Association, said that jails don’t have the facilities or the staff to offer face-to-face visits. “These are short-term stays,” he said. “The majority of people are there for days rather than months or years.” While most jail sentences indeed number days instead of weeks, counties can house some offenders for up to a year or more, which sparks a debate between child rights and tight budgets. As counties wrestle with post-recession revenues and loss of local government aid, elected officials cite conventional wisdom that there simply is no public appetite for further investment in jails. Recent research, however, indicates that strengthening the ties between incarcerated parents and their children holds the promise of long-term savings by reducing recidivism. In Minnesota, about 36 percent of offenders released from prison are convicted of a new felony within three years. A pilot project with the Minnesota Department of Corrections indicates those rates can be reduced with expanded

visitation opportunities for prisoners. “Maintaining bonds with family and friends provides a support system for when they get out,” said Gary Johnson, director of reentry services for the Department of Corrections. “It has much more influence (on recidivism) than what we first imagined.” Child advocates point to model visitation policies and parenting programs like those of the women’s correctional facility in Shakopee where 70 percent of the inmates are mothers. In addition to support groups and classes, a small number of children from infants to age 12 are allowed overnight visits with their mothers in a specialized living unit. Due to the program’s success, prison administrators created an extended visitation program for teenagers. Since 2000, the daughters of Shakopee offenders have formed a Girl Scout troop that meets at the prison. According to Carlson, only a fraction of the 600 Shakopee inmates are eligible for the program, which requires them to abide by strict standards. “They are under a lot of scrutiny and

1 must be willing to contribute to a positive environment,” she added. Minnesota jails and prisons also offer a wide variety of parenting classes and opportunities for their inmates. Dave Kieke, assistant program director at the Benton County Jail, said the majority of his inmates are mothers and fathers. “Everything comes down to parenting,” he said. “It can reshape the culture of the family, breaking cycles of abuse and addictions and bad communications.” Kieke said he encourages jailed parents to reflect upon their own childhoods and how they can re-script it. “They talk about the abuse and neglect they experienced. It connects the dots and helps them understand why their thinking is the way it is.” At the Crow Wing County Jail in Brainerd, incarcerated parents can connect with their children by reading. Volunteers videotape inmates reading aloud while flipping the colorful pages of children’s books. A DVD and copy of the book are sent to the child. “It’s gone over very well,” said Marshall Prescott, program coordinator at the jail. “It helps the kids connect and bond with their parents.” Parenting programs at the Benton and Crow Wing County Jails are funded in part by the Initiative Foundation, which has developed community-based coalitions across central Minnesota to support children of incarcerated parents. “These are kids who have fallen through the cracks,” said Kathy Gaalswyk, president of the Initiative Foundation in Little Falls. “There were already wonderful volunteers working in the county jails. We were able to provide resources and encouragement to formalize the structure.” “I appreciated the fact that they didn’t forget we are still parents,” said Sara Rassier, who attended parenting classes in the Benton County Jail. “We’re seen as criminals first in their eyes, but we do have lives beyond that.” Rassier and her children moved out of a halfway house and now live in North Mankato, Minn. This summer, she plans to take classes and pursue a career in juvenile corrections. In the meantime, they’re getting used to being a family again. “I was off doing drugs the last six years, and now I want to be a part of their lives again,” Rassier said. “I am very thankful for the Benton County Jail. Without it, I wouldn’t be where I am today with my kids.” IQ

INSIDE THE CROW WING COUNTY JAIL 1. Inmates keep in touch by mailing videotapes of themselves reading children’s stories. 2. For budget reasons, children can only visit parents remotely via videoconferencing stations. Child advocates support more parent-child contact visits. 3. Built in 2007, there are no bars but plenty of security. 4. Marshall Prescott, Jail Program Coordinator. JUNE 2010

Illustration by Chris McAllister | Photography by John Linn

When deciding how it could strengthen central Minnesota’s safety nets for children of incarcerated parents, the Initiative Foundation went back to its tried and true approach of training, coaching and funding the work of energized volunteers. “We believe that there are leaders for every challenge that a community faces,” said Linda Kaufmann, Initiative Foundation senior program manager. “It’s just that people don’t always know they’re leaders, and they need organizations like the Initiative Foundation to provide them tools and support to move from a vision to meaningful action.” Rosemary Monk describes herself as “just a volunteer,” an understatement when you consider how much her Wright County coalition has evolved in just over a year. Dedicated to addressing the needs of children with incarcerated parents, the foundation started the InsideOut Connections (IOC) project with seven volunteer coalitions in early 2009. Rosemary is one of over 120 community leaders and volunteers coming together from every sector—including senior citizens, law enforcement officers, educators, church leaders and parents—to create caring communities for children of incarcerated parents. Each countywide coalition now has members providing parent education in the county jails, and reaching out to children and parents on the outside in order to mitigate poor outcomes and ensure that kids don’t fall between the cracks. “A little over a year ago, we asked community members if this was an important issue to them and if they were they willing to come together to make a difference?” Kaufmann said. “We were blown away by the response. People cared alright, and now people are acting.” In addition to providing well-attended parent education classes in their new county jail, the Wright County coalition is working to coordinate existing community services, support caregivers on the “outside,” and help local children to attend the Salvation Army L.I.F.E. (Love Is For Everyone) Camp—a summer camp specifically for children whose parents are or have been incarcerated. Monk concentrates on providing “camp packs” for children that include sleeping bags, towels, insect repellent and toothpaste. A donation from her local Lions Club along with a foundation grant

For information on volunteering or launching a coalition that helps children of incarcerated parents, contact: Sara Dahlquist | Initiative Foundation Program Manager 877-632-9255 or sdahlquist@ifound.org

C ONTINUED ON PA GE 56 JUNE 2010

MISSION Unlock the power of central Minnesota people to build and sustain healthy communities.

WHO WE ARE Powered by local generosity, the Initiative Foundation employs grants, loans and leadership programs to strengthen all facets of a healthy communityâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;economy, environment, children and families.

GOALS > > > > >

38 Initiative Quarterly Magazine

IQmag.org

Strengthen Economic Opportunity Preserve Key Places and Natural Resources Support Children, Youth, and Families Build Organizational Effectiveness Encourage the Spirit of Giving

Board of Trustees Linda Eich DesJardins VICE-CHAIR

Gray Plant Mooty

Eich Motor Company

Barbara Anderson

John E. Babcock

Mayuli Bales

Chris Close

Pat Gorham

Brainerd Lakes Health

The Bank of Elk River

Casa Guadalupe & Catholic Charities

Close-Converse Properties

Gorham Companies

Arnie Johnson

Larry Korf

Earl Potter

Mary Sam

Gene Waldorf

Johnson Enterprises

DeZURIK

St. Cloud State University

Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe

Retired, 3M Former Minnesota Legislator

Initiative Foundation Staff

Lee Hanson CHAIR

Kathy Gaalswyk

Ismail Ali St. Cloud Schools

Cathy Hartle

Jolene Howard

MaryAnn Lindell

Senior Program Manager for Organizational Effectiveness

Program Assistant for Grants & Training

Executive Assistant

Don Hickman

Lois Kallsen

Senior Program Manager for Planning & Preservation

Office & Facilities Coordinator

Vice President for Economic Opportunity

Tricia Holig

Linda Kaufmann

Katie Riitters

VISTA Program Manager

Administrative Assistant

Dan Frank

Program Assistant for Grants & Training

Senior Program Manager for Children, Youth & Families

Matt Kilian

Finance Assistant

: : PRESIDENT : :

Sara Dahlquist Children Youth & Families Specialist

Chris Fastner Program Manager for Community Development

Sharon Gottwalt Business Finance Assistant

Curt Hanson Vice President for Donor Services

Anita Hollenhorst Grants & Communications Specialist

Lynn Houle-Bushinger Vice President for Finance & Operations

Director of Communications

Paul Kleinwachter Business Finance Officer

Randy Olson

Julie Schueller Sandy Voigt Program Manager for Technology Finance

Kris Kowalzek Finance Assistant

JUNE 2010

< SAVING JOBS:

Larson Boat Company, Little Falls Larson Boat Company has been an integral part of the Little Falls economy since the early 1900s. When the recession threatened to close the business, the Initiative Foundation partnered with four other organizations to provide a financing package that kept the manufacturing facility open while securing nearly 170 full-time jobs. Since 1986, the foundation has helped to create or retain more than 10,000 quality jobs in central Minnesota communities.

< STRENGTHENING NONPROFITS:

Great River Area Faith in Action, Becker Great River Area Faith in Actionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s programs and thrift store keep 500 volunteers busy by serving disadvantaged residents throughout Wright and Sherburne counties and the St. Cloud area. The foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Healthy Organizations Partnership provided nonprofit leadership training and grants to help the organization grow its services for those who need them most. 109 central Minnesota nonprofits have grown stronger through the HOP program.

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< SUPPORTING CHILDREN:

North Branch Early Childhood Coalition For children under age five, the simple act of reading helps develop social relationships and kindergarten readiness for lifetime success. The North Branch Early Childhood Coalition, one of more than 80 volunteer-led groups in greater Minnesota, has set their sights on making reading and fatherhood projects a priority. Grants and training from the Initiative Foundation are helping to turn the pages.

< FIGHTING POVERTY:

AccountAbility Minnesota, St. Cloud office As a VISTA (Volunteer in Service to America), Sadiq Dahir has one goal: to find and train volunteers to assist fellow Somalis and Latinos with filing their income taxes. Simple tax filing services help struggling families maximize returns to make ends meet. In 2009, the foundation deployed 21 VISTAs to help fight poverty with central Minnesota nonprofits.

^ PRESERVING LAKES:

> REVITALIZING COMMUNITIES:

Holdingford

The small hometown of Holdingford is Minnesota’s “Gateway to the Lake Wobegon Trail”, a hike-and-bike pathway that stretches 46 picturesque miles. Mayor Ernie Schmit shows off the covered bridge that represented Holdingford’s signature project to capture its hometown spirit. It was one of many volunteerled results from the town’s participation in the foundation’s Healthy Communities Partnership, which has trained leaders from 129 central Minnesota communities.

Whitefish Area Property Owners Association, Crow Wing County Jack and Judy Wallschlaeger’s family has been enjoying Whitefish Lake for more than 40 years. As president of the Whitefish Area Property Owners Association, Judy followed the footsteps of 198 other lake and river associations in the foundation’s Healthy Lakes & Rivers Partnership.Through shoreland restoration, treatment of invasive species, and property owner education, the Whitefish chain will be a treasure for generations to come.

JUNE 2010

Our Numbers

2 0 0 9 F I N A N C I A L S U M M A R Y january 1 2009 to december 31 2009

Sources of Funds: $11,920,331

Grants & Scholarships

Investment Income Grants & Contributions Business Financing Revenue & Repayments Other Operating Revenue

Unlocking the Power of People

$ 6,647,689 [56%] $ 2,988,999 [25%] $ 2,145,256 [18%] $ 138,387 [1%]

Uses of Funds: $7,267,557 Business Investments Grants, Scholarships & Training Programs Foundation Operations Special Projects & Other TRAINING PROGRAMS

$ 4,225,392 [58%] $ 1,765,493 [24%] $ 1,255,020 [17%] $ 21,652 [1%]

Investment Total $753,973 Children, Youth & Families Economic Opportunity Innovation Fund Hometown Improvement Natural Resources Preservation Scholarships Community & Donor Funds Organizational Effectiveness

EXPENSES INCURRED*

Early Childhood Mental Health

$ 94,429

Early Childhood

$ 155,030

Healthy Communities Partnership

$ 184,717

Healthy Organizations Partnership

$ 162,810

Healthy Lakes and Rivers Partnership

$ 72,065

Volunteers in Service to America

$ 325,524

Youth Engagement

$ 16,945

TOTAL

$1,011,520

Business Financing Local Owners, Quality Jobs

Investment Total $2,182,370 Manufacturing Technology Environment/Agriculture Service Housing Marketing/Retail

Total Endowment Value: $30.2 million Total Assets: $44.4 million A complete audit report prepared by LarsonAllen, LLP is available upon request. * Excludes grants.

Our Results

FROM 1986-2009

Invested $36.2 million in 843 locally owned businesses

Awarded 593 scholarships totaling $441,670

Made 3,184 grants totaling $19.9 million

Created or secured 9,951 living-wage jobs

Trained 1,611 leaders from 129 communities to plan and achieve a brighter future

Trained 1,407 leaders to improve the water quality of 199 lakes and rivers

Trained 928 leaders from 109 nonprofits to manage more effective organizations

Trained 825 leaders from 15 communities to prepare young children for lifetime success

Trained 111 leaders from 11 groups to improve the lives of children with incarcerated parents

42 Initiative Quarterly Magazine

32% 21% 16% 15% 9% 4% 2% 1%

IQmag.org

48% 28% 8% 7% 6% 3%

To our donors, we say thank you. We value each gift for the special reasons it was given and for the trust you have placed in our foundation. The following are our program and endowment gifts received between July 1, 2007 and December 31, 2009. Platinum Keymaster ($100,000 or more) Bush Foundation Corporation for National & Community Service Department of Health & Human Services Arnold & JoAnn Johnson The McKnight Foundation Minnesota Public Radio Otto Bremer Foundation Jack & Betty Thomas USDA Rural Development Gold Keymaster ($50,000 or 99,999) Gloria M. Cessna Center for Rural Policy & Development Connexus Energy East Central Energy Emma B. Howe Memorial Foundation The Minneapolis Foundation Minnesota Power Southwest Initiative Foundation State of Minnesota, Department of Commerce Keymaster ($25,000 to 49,999) Anderson Brothers Construction Blandin Foundation Bremer Banks Communications Alternatives, a subsidiary of Benton Cooperative Telephone Co. County of Cass County of Isanti County of Stearns Eich Motor Company The Jay & Rose Phillips Foundation Beverly M. Johnston Medica Foundation Morgan Family Foundation Morrison County Student Loan Association Stearns Electric Association West Central Telephone Association

Portal ($10,000 to $24,999) The Anderson Family Legacy Foundation Benton Telecommunications Foundation Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation City of Little Falls City of St. Cloud Consolidated Telecommunications Company County of Benton County of Chisago County of Crow Wing County of Morrison County of Pine

Foundation for Education, Public Health & Social Justice, a supporting organization of The Minneapolis Foundation Schlagel, Inc. SPEDCO Economic Development Foundation of The St. Paul Foundation Stearns-Benton Employment & Training Council U.S. Bancorp Foundation Francis & Ludmila Voelker Eugene & Bernadine Waldorf Estate of Mark Wood

Cuyuna Regional Medical Center DeZURIK, Inc. Donald & Deanna Engen Genmar Minnesota, Inc. Gray Plant Mooty The Hyduke Foundation of The St. Paul Foundation on behalf of Peoples Bank of Commerce Lakeland Mold Company, Inc. Lakewood Bank, Brainerd/Baxter LarsonAllen, LLP, St. Cloud Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce Marco, Inc.

“We support the Initiative Foundation as its mission and day-to-day programs support creating self-sufficiency and healthy communities.” :: Mary Sam, Onamia :: County of Sherburne County of Wright diversiCOM/Melrose Telephone Company First National Bank of Milaca Funders’ Network for Smart Growth & Livable Communities Kathy & Neal Gaalswyk Granite Equity Partners, LLC Kuepers, Inc. Architects & Builders Lake Region Conservation Club The Laura Jane Musser Fund Manufacturing Fund of Central Minnesota Mid-Minnesota Federal Credit Union Loren & Kathryn Morey Morrison County Student Loan Association Northwest Area Foundation Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi LLP

Gateway ($5,000 to $9,999) AgStar Fund for Rural America/AgStar Financial Services American Heritage National Bank Bank of the West Cambridge Medical Center CentraCare Health Foundation Central MN Jobs & Training Services Charles & Barbara Christian City of Cambridge City of Milaca City of Sartell City of Sauk Rapids City of St. Michael City of Wadena Clow Stamping Company County of Mille Lacs County of Todd

“The Foundation has a unique approach to helping communities help themselves that is both engaging and exciting.”

Mardag Foundation Minnesota National Bank & Agency NOR-SON, Inc. Pequot Tool & Manufacturing, Inc. Pine Country Bank Rockwoods Grill & Backwater Bar Schlenner Wenner & Co. Everett & Rita Sobania St. Cloud Morning Optimist Club St. Joseph's Med Center /Brainerd Lakes Integrated Health System The Sheltering Arms Foundation Viking Label & Packaging, Inc. Widseth Smith Nolting and Assoc., Inc. Sharla & the late Warren Williams Woodland Bank Xcel Energy Foundation Xcel Energy, St. Cloud Corridor ($3,000 to $4,999) Citizens State Bank City of Baxter City of Big Lake City of Cokato City of Long Prairie City of Maple Lake

:: John Babcock, Elk River :: JUNE 2010

City of Melrose City of Mora City of Nisswa City of Paynesville City of Pine City City of Princeton City of St. Joseph City of Staples County of Kanabec County of Wadena Curt & Mary Beth Hanson Lee & Jan Hanson Happy Dancing Turtle Don Hickman & Sandra Kaplan Matt & Jeanne Kilian Lindar Corporation William & Diane Scarince Stephen & Gwyn Shelley Shelley Funeral Chapels, Inc. Thelen Heating & Roofing, Inc. Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperation Venture Allies, LLC Passage ($1,000 to $2,999) Anakkala, Berns, & Co, PLLP Barb & Duane Anderson Keith H. Anderson Atomic Learning, Inc. BankVista Steven & Ann Benda Brainerd Lakes Area Chambers of Commerce Lynn & Darren Bushinger Central MN Community Foundation Central MN Habitat for Humanity City of Albany City of Albertville City of Annandale City of Backus City of Becker City of Belgrade City of Braham City of Breezy Point City of Clarissa City of Cold Spring City of Crosslake City of Eden Valley City of Fifty Lakes City of Foley City of Garrison City of Hinckley City of Isanti City of Lake Shore City of Lindstrom City of Onamia City of Pequot Lakes City of Pierz City of Randall City of Rock Creek City of Rockville

44 Initiative Quarterly Magazine

City of Rush City City of Sandstone City of Swanville City of Walker City of Wyoming Gloria L. Contreras-Edin Crow Wing Power D. J. Bitzan Jewelers, Inc. DeGraaf Financial, Inc. Donlar Construction Farmers & Merchants State Bank Chris Fastner & Kathy Hakes-Fastner First National Bank of Walker Dan & Annette Frank Gold'n Plump Poultry Pat Gorham Great River Energy David Gruenes Cathy Hartle & Doug Larsen HBH Associates, LLC. Anita & Brad Hollenhorst Hunt Utilities Group, LLC IPEX, Inc. John Kaliszewski Paul & Shirley Kleinwachter Kristine & Kenneth Kowalzek Lakeland Incorporated Lakes Printing LarsonAllen LLP, Brainerd Mark A. Lease Little Falls Machine Eugene Menzel MINPACK, Inc. Glen F. Palm, Ph.D. Northern Technology Initiative Plaza Park Bank Dr. Earl H. Potter, III Mary L. Sam Dorothy & Mike Simpson St. Gabriel's Hospital David Toeben Sandy Voigt Dr. George & Raquel Wallin Access (Up to $999) AccountAbility Solutions, LLC Altobell Imagery, LLC Amcon Block & Precast, Inc.

Return on Investment Donations* to Initiative Foundation Benton Cass Chisago Crow Wing Isanti Kanabec Mille Lacs Morrison Pine Sherburne Stearns Todd Wadena Wright TOTAL

$275,000 $474,000 $318,000 $1,013,000 $1,029,000 $103,000 $504,000 $987,000 $505,000 $625,000 $903,000 $677,000 $283,000 $468,000 $8,166,000

Investments** by Initiative Foundation

ROI

$3,121,000 $3,264,000 $2,387,000 $7,999,000 $2,326,000 $738,000 $3,038,000 $4,259,000 $2,382,000 $3,583,000 $10,946,000 $2,843,000 $2,771,000 $3,961,000 $53,773,000

1,035% 589% 650% 690% 126% 617% 502% 331% 372% 473% 1,112% 320% 877% 746% 559%

*Rounded numbers include individual, business, government and utility donations, 1986-2008. **Rounded numbers include nonprofit grants, business financing investments and scholarships, 1986-2008.

Annandale Community Team Better Way Foundation, Inc. Dr. & Mrs. Jerry Bobeldyk Katy & Steve Botz Lyle & Patricia Bourdon Brain Magnet Industries Brainerd Daily Dispatch Brainerd Lakes Area Development Brainerd Public Schools Bromelkamp Company, LLC Cambridge Launderers & Cleaners, Inc. Cambridge Orthodontics, P.A. Bethany Carlton Central MN Manufacturers Association Central MN Housing Partnership City of Avon City of Bertha City of Bock City of Bowlus City of Boy River City of Buckman City of Burtrum

City of Cass Lake City of Center City City of Chickamaw Beach City of Chisago City City of Clearwater City of Crosby City of Deerwood City of Eagle Bend City of East Gull Lake City of Emily City of Grasston City of Grey Eagle City of Hackensack City of Harding City of Henriette City of Hewitt City of Holdingford City of Isle City of Jenkins City of Kimball City of Longville City of Montrose

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Foundation is a catalyst that provides creative opportunities for community members to actively participate in sustaining and improving the health of their communities.â&#x20AC;? :: Chris Close, Brainerd :: IQmag.org

City of Motley City of Nimrod City of Ogilvie City of Pease City of Pillager City of Quamba City of Remer City of Rice City of Richmond City of Riverton City of Ronneby City of Royalton City of Sebeka City of South Haven City of St. Martin City of St. Rosa City of Taylors Falls City of Upsala City of Verndale City of Wahkon City of Waverly Christopher & Amber Close Family Fund of the Central MN Community Foundation Close-Converse, Inc. Coborn's, Inc. Cold Spring Area Chamber of Commerce Helen L. Comnick Connections, Etc. Continental Press, Inc. Cook's World of Water Cross Lake Association of Pine Donald & Carol Crust DES OF ST. CLOUD, INC. Edin Consulting Susan Fairchild & Steven Winn Faith In Action-Cass County First National Bank of Cold Spring Margaret Flolid Bruce & Mary Fogle Curt & Judy Forst Frandsen Bank & Trust Stefan & Michele Freeman Ray & Gwynne Gildow GiveMN.org Virginia Glenn Sharon & Chuck Gottwalt Grand View Lodge Hallett Community Center Foundation Ronald & Barbara Hedlund Jack Heule & the late Kathy Bussard Tricia & John Holig Keith & Laura Beckman Horizon Bank Jolene Howard Peter & Lynne Jacobson Al & Lynda Johnson Sue Johnson Jerome E. Johnson Kim & Sally Johnson

Lois & Len Kallsen Kanabec Hospital Linda Kaufmann Norman & Julie Krause Irene Kurpius-Lindvall Gary W. Y. Kwong Lake Country Journal / Evergreen Press Lakewood Health System Colleen H. LeBlanc MaryAnn & Pete Lindell Line's Building Center, Inc. Little Falls Orthopedics Paul & Joan Lombardi Long Prairie Packing Company Carol Lovdahl Mahowald Insurance Agency, LLP Martin & Betsy Mahowald McDowall Company Robert McLean Diane M. Mendel Ronald & Barbara Middelstadt Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Minnesota Business Finance Corporation Walter & Adele Munsterman North American State Bank Northern Star Therapy Robert & Marilyn Obermiller Dennis & Evie O’Donnell Kristin & Daniel Olson The Order of St. Benedict/St. John's Abbey The Partnership Pine River Chamber of Commerce Pine River-Backus Family Center Pine River-Backus School District Pine Technical College Geri Pohlkamp Portage Crooked Lakes Improvement Assn. Leah & Dennis Posterick Donald F. Quaintance Randall State Bank Rural Renewable Energy Alliance Ann M. Sand MaryAnn Schefers The Selective Group Foundation Shing Wako Resort & Campgroung Jana & Michael Shogren St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce State Bank of Cold Spring State Bank of Kimball Stearns, Inc. Charles & Penny Swanum Swanville Women's Civic Club Jim & Liz Thares Timothy and Carrie Tripp Upfront Consulting Joseph & Diane VanBeck Ashley Vargo-Guggemos George & Elizabeth Vilfordi The Whitney Foundation Paul & Alice Wirth

“By supporting the Initiative Foundation we are investing in long-term programs to assist individuals, companies, and our communities to build a stronger economic & social environment in which long-term success is created and maintained.” :: Larry Korf, St. Cloud ::

Dave & Luann Wood Wright County Human Services Tina Yorek TRIBUTES In Honor of Edmund Babcock The Bank of Elk River In Memory of Gary Holt Curtis Powell In Memory of Mary Anne Grafton-Rodgers Rose & the late Ronald Powell In Honor of James Kurpius Justin & Amy Kurpius In Honor of Irene Kurpius-Lindvall John & Connie Roberts In Memory of Evelyn Middelstadt Rose & the late Ronald Powell In Memory of Ian Joshua Miller Robert Bunger In Memory of Helen K. (Wolf) Mills Anonymous In Memory of Harry Nysather Louise Nysather In Memory of Ronald Powell Ronald & Barbara Middelstadt Rose Powell

In Memory of Kari Richardson John & Tracy Askwith B & B Carpet One B&D Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning Bakken Building & Remodeling, Inc. The Bank of Elk River Gregg & Teri Barbeln Beaudry Oil & Propane Kathy Z. Berger Tim Bjella Michael & Dawn Blake Evelyn Buetow Builders Incentive Group, Inc. George & Margaret Carter Charles & Barbara Christian Deborah L. Crowley Bradley & Kelly Dalbec Dennis & Tracy Daleiden Meinrad & Ramona Daleiden The Dive Shop David & Marjorie Dobosenski Jessica E. Driscoll Greg & Kathy Dupre Eagle Window Dist. Co. Michael & Jane Ehresmann Erik & Lori Ellingson Erik & Marjorie Ellingson James & Betsy Ellingson Mark & Janna Ellingson Richard & Janet Ellingworth Annette Ellstrom Mark & Jacqueline Elmers Energy & Environmental Building Association Brian & Susan Faue CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE JUNE 2010

“I support the Initiative Foundation because, more than any other local organization, they have been an integral source of support for the nonprofits and volunteers in our communities.” :: Linda Eich DesJardins, St. Cloud :: Michele D. Fedderly First National Bank of Elk River Derek & Carrie Fischer Jeffrey & Ann Gagen Daniel & Kris Gasner Holly A. Glaeser Michael & Beth Granger John & Cynthia Grevious Stephen & Kathy Grossman Jan & Gretchen Haukos Heating & Cooling Two, Inc. Donald & Elizabeth Heinzman Susan D. Herrmann Michael & Martha Hippe Daniel & Helen Holmes Homes Plus Designers/Builders, Inc. William & Margaret Imig Initiative Foundation Paul & Donna Jacobs Charles & Judy Janski Larry & Barbara Janski Thomas & Christine Jensen Maurice & Donna Johnson Randy & Michelle Johnson Keller Williams Realty Integrity Bill & Patty Knoblauch Larry & Juleen Koenig Marcia J. Koester Kirk A. Kroll Duane & Patsy Kropuenske Charles & Debra Kuhl Bradley & Becky LeDuc Lights On Broadway, Inc. Lester & Karen Linner Marcia Love Susan Maki Steven & Lori Marcy Thomas & Michelle Matchie Barbara A. Materna Clinton & Sandra Maxwell Jerry & Joanne McChesney Meiny's Diggers, Inc. Rebecca J. Milless Jennifer S. Moberg Arlene E. Morem Dean & Evelyn Morem Steven & Sandra Morgan Eric & Karen Moschet Rob Moschet Jennifer L. Mueller

46 Initiative Quarterly Magazine

Dan & Valerie Nelson New Beginnings of Princeton, Inc. Michael & Debra Newman Randy & Joann Nielson Northland Cabinets, Inc. Northstar Granite Tops Jennifer A. Panchenko Jack & Kelani Parisien Brian & Sharon Parrish David & Sandra Petersen Jerry & Barbara Peterson John & Christina Plaisted Gordon & Nancy Robinson Stanley & Dorothy Rogers Adair & Lisa Rosenow Kathryn P. Samuel Anne M. Saxton Steven & Christy Schmidt David & Cynthia Sebold Robert & Patti Solheim South Side Lumber Company Steve's Floorcovering, Inc. Craig & Rosie Storie Mark & Linda Strater Duane M. Swenson Michael & Brooke Swenson Mark & Cynthia Taylor Terra General Contractors, LLC Ann C. Thomas Three Rivers Community Foundation TLS Custom Concrete, Inc. Warners' Stellian Co., Inc. Constance M. Wilson Eugene & Susan Wipf Larry & Donna Jeanne Wipf

John P. Zirbes In Memory of Robert Westvig Joanne B. Burdick Ronald & Barbara Middelstadt Curtis & Margaret Powell

Zimmerman PTO-Lions Scholarship Fund

NAMED & AFFILIATED FUNDS Alternative Sources of Energy Fund Anderson Brothers Family Fund Betty Ford Menzel Scholarship Fund LEGACY GIFTS Beverly M. Pantzke Scholarship Fund Gloria M. Cessna Bob & Pauline Johnson Memorial Gloria L. Contreras-Edin Scholarship Fund Evelyn L. Henry Bob Wright Memorial IFPA Gladys M. Paulson Scholarship Fund Fran & Mil Voelker Bob & Marsha Bunger Endowment Fund Family Farm Fund COMMUNITY & AFFILIATED FUNDS Friends of the Civil Air Patrol Fund Greater Pine Area Endowment Hackensack Area Animal Shelter Fund Isle Area Community Foundation John & Bonnie Schlagel Funds Little Falls Area Foundation Lake Region Conservation Club Fund Hanowski Family Fund Leech Lake Area Watershed Foundation Mark Wood Foundation Little Falls Scholarship Fund Staples Community Foundation Minnesota Pioneer Park Endowment Fund Julius & Tracy Kurpius Fund Shawn Grittner Scholarship Loren & Kathy Morey Family Fund Memorial Fund Staples/Motley Dollars for Veterans Art Project Fund Scholars Fund Staples Knights of Columbus-Lloyd & William & Ethel Nelson Zimmerman Marion Giddings Scholarship Fund Memorial Scholarship Fund Sacred Heart-Knights of Columbus Fund Wright County Historical Society Three Rivers Community Foundation Archie & Isabelle Powell Family LOAN FUNDS Memorial Scholarship Fund Princeton Loan Fund Charity Evenson Memorial Scholarship Todd-Wadena Loan Fund Chuck & Barbara Christian Fund Menahga Loan Fund Friends of the Elk River Library Fund St. Cloud State University Microlending Jeanette & Mel Beaudry Fund Program Fund Josh Richardson Youth Arts Fund

“The Initiative Foundation believes in helping people to help themselves. We are fortunate to have an organization like this in our area. What it has and is accomplishing is doing wonders for all of us.” :: Arnie Johnson, Baxter ::

IQmag.org

A-ha. Here’s an idea. How about a bank that treats its clients the way your business treats your clients? You remember names and faces. You get to know what’s important to people. At Bremer Bank, we do too. We’re small enough to know you. And big enough to really help. Let’s share some bright ideas. Let’s take action.

To learn more, please call or visit Bremer.com. Brainerd 829-8781 • Brainerd Cub Foods 828-5160 Baxter 828-5191 • Baxter Cub Foods 828-5165 • Aitkin 927-3794

We truly do

LAKES PRINTING PRINTING LAKES WHATEVER IT TAKES

to make our home a better place.

“Whatever it Takes” It is our desire to be your printer. Please contact us. We look forward to working with you. 218-829-7790~Fax: 218-8290977~www.lakesprinting.com 1223 Oak Street, Brainerd, MN 56401

48 Initiative Quarterly Magazine

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Minnesota Power works with local partners to build business and

For more information about these and other Minnesota Power economic development tools, contact:

create stable jobs by providing reliable and competitively priced energy, access to capital, building sites, and other powerful tools that help growth-oriented companies succeed. For more information, check out the following sites: www.ApexGetsBusiness.com We are a proud member of the Area Partnership for Economic Expansion, a private sector business development catalyst.

Nancy Norr 218.723.3905 nnorr@ mnpower.com

www.LaskinEnergyPark.com A powerful location for growth-oriented manufacturers. www.NorthlandConnection.com The Northlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economic development portal.

invisible

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20

[ sustainable design ] is the philosophy of designing physical objects to comply with the principles of economic, social, and ecological sustainability.

[ WSN sustainable design services ] building and site environmental analysis stormwater pollution prevention low impact development sustainable architecture innovative road design building energy audits LEED® and B3 design site planning

ATTORNEYS AT LAW PRACTICING IN THE AREA OF EMPLOYMENT We represent employers in the following areas and more:

x x x x

Wage and Hour COBRA Discrimination Health Insurance Portability

x x x x

Affirmative Action Sexual Harassment Family Medical Leave Americans with Disabilities (ADA)

For a complimentary audit of human resource policies and practices please contact us at: jphillips@rajhan.com. 11 7th Avenue North St. Cloud, MN 56302 320-251-1055 rajhan@rajhan.com

50 Initiative Quarterly Magazine

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have emerged, including here in Minnesota, to address the needs of fathers in prison,” Meyerson said. “Mothers in prison are much more of an invisible population, but they are a much faster growing population.” The growth in incarcerated parents over the past two decades also carries with it a disproportionate number of minorities, particularly African-Americans. Minnesota leads the nation in racial incarceration disparities with AfricanAmericans representing less than 4 percent of the state’s population, but 35 percent of the prison population in 2009, according to the Minnesota Department of Corrections. The majority of all parents are behind bars for nonviolent crimes, often related to chemical addictions. Drug offenses ranked first among the 9,619 people in Minnesota prisons at the end of 2009.

Stereotypes Despite common perceptions, many incarcerated parents have been involved in their children’s lives prior to their arrests, said Melissa Froehle, an attorney who specialized in custodial parent cases before joining the Minnesota Fathers & Families Network as policy and program director. “Most of the families already are facing a number of barriers—poverty, unemployment, a lack of adequate housing,” she said. “Incarceration can be the sledgehammer that breaks things apart.” According to Minnesota Second Chance Coalition, more than half of parents in federal prison report living with a child one month before their arrest and providing their primary financial support. “I think most people would be flabbergasted to know that one quarter of dads were the primary caregivers for at least one of their kids before going to prison,” Froehle said. Parental imprisonment, especially of a father, can impose serious financial hardships on a family. “Some people think the family is better off because we took the incarcerated parent out of the home, but that is usually not the case,” Ruhland added.

Neither Seen nor Heard The lack of data is a product of a don’t ask, don’t tell system. While researching trends for its

— M e l i s s a Fro e h l e / AT T O R N E Y

Inside-Out Connections project, the Initiative Foundation learned that no county jails in central Minnesota regularly ask inmates if they have children, or what arrangements have been made to support them, said Senior Program Manager Linda Kaufmann. “Most institutions in Minnesota don’t ask the question,” Meyerson said. “Even if they do have the information, they are not doing anything with it because correctional facilities are designed to deal with adults, not kids.” Through self-reporting, the Minnesota Department of Corrections knows that about 70 percent of the female offenders at the women’s facility in Shakopee are parents, said Shari Burt, communications director. But the information from male offenders is unreliable, she said. “Not having the information may mean we are not providing the best possible services we can,” said Sarah Walker, a founder of the Second Chance Coalition and chief operating officer of 180 Degrees, which provides intervention, prevention and supportive services to juvenile and adult offenders in Minnesota. The only place Baker and her daughter initially could find support was from other visitors she met at prison. “No one knew I went to visit him,” Baker said. “I eventually made friends with other visitors there and found a support group online where I could ask questions.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 52 JUNE 2010

invisible

BRAINERD | BAXTER 4 TH OF JULY FIREWORKS CELEBRATION

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 51

Kathy Gaalswyk with Morrison County Sheriff Michel Wetzel.

MINNESOTA’S 4TH OF JULY CAPITAL Raffle

Parking

$10 Per Ticket—Only 4800 tickets will be sold Reserve your Parking Spot NOW! Come and Go as much as you want PRIZES INCLUDE: Price $20.00, $25.00 (Day of the 4th)

• Round Brilliant Diamond 1.53 Karat Round / $10,500 value.

• Fishing Shelter Fish Trap X2 Portable / $1,000 value.

Choose from East River Road and 5th Street. Call and make your reservation TODAY! We except Cash, Check, or Credit Card.

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A Ve i l o f L i e s “Children tend to carry the stigma that they are bad kids because their parents made bad choices,” Kaufmann said. “They often feel like they are being punished for their parents’ bad decisions.” The fear of rejection and social alienation has led many families to remain silent. “In a lot of families, children are discouraged from talking about what is happening in their families because it is shameful to have a family member in prison,” Meyerson said. “That’s not a healthy situation.” The Council on Crime and Justice interviewed 34 children and 21 caregivers and found that many aimed to sidestep the shame and stigma by lying about the parent’s location. Often-cited stories were that the parent was away at school, working far away, in the military, or in the hospital. “We heard that response quite often from caregivers,” Ruhland said. “With the older kids, the caregivers would try to shield what happened to the parent, but the children would know or find out.” Although the intentions were good, she said that lying only reinforces the social stigmas and intense feelings of shame that most children experience. It’s better for children to know the truth and be able to ask honest questions about the safety and location of their parent.

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—Kathy Gaalswyk / I N I T I AT I V E F O U N D AT I O N P R E S I D E N T

Questionable Consequences According to a 2000 report from the Child Welfare League of America, children who have parents in prison have an increased risk for poor school performance, dropping out, gang involvement, early pregnancy, and drug abuse. But it’s not inevitable. Baker often advised her daughter not to define herself by her father’s mistakes and provided positive examples. “I didn’t want her to think this was her destiny, because it’s not,” Baker said. “I came from a different family.” An often-cited statistic has shown that children of incarcerated parents are six times more likely than their peers to become criminally involved, but a family study at the Council on Crime and Justice found conflicting results. In 2009, the National Conference of State Legislatures performed a thorough literature review that found interventions that strengthened family connections resulted in lower recidivism, reduced delinquency, and healthier child development. “No child is sentenced to a life of crime,” said Initiative Foundation President Kathy Gaalswyk. “They need guidance and an opportunity to form relationships with their parents, reach their own conclusions, and make their own choices.” IQ

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“When it comes to advocating for my kids, I’m mouthy.

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(218) 828-0096 (888) 322-5232 www.bladc.org 54 Initiative Quarterly Magazine

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parents make mistakes, too, and that sometimes they need some time to think about their mistakes. “They love their parent unconditionally,” Larsen said, “and those kids still need to know that it’s okay to love them and be loved by them. I make sure to tell them that their family is special, and they will always be loved by them. Remember the happy memories and the love you share with each other.” With guardian permission, Larsen works with students to write letters to their jailed parent or to prepare talking points for an upcoming phone call. She also keeps track of all upcoming holidays, birthdays and special events, knowing those are difficult times for kids when a parent isn’t around. At school, Larsen said, anxieties often manifest as stomach aches or headaches. Other signs of emotional distress are children acting out or becoming easily distracted.

Stigmas & Support

Larsen said she doesn’t notice the stigma and embarrassment of parental incarceration affecting children until they are in third or fourth grade. Then, peers are more likely to have questions about what happened to a friend’s parent or why their friend is living with an aunt or grandparent. At the high school level, St Cloud Technical High School Guidance Counselor Krisi Lain prioritizes her discussions with students. Lain said she and other counselors are each referred to six to eight students per year who have recently incarcerated parents. Her first task is to find out where the student is living and whether they are signed up for the breakfast program or need any school supplies. Counselors then try to provide some sense of routine and stability for the students. Lain invites students to her office during their lunch breaks or study halls. It’s a time to connect, review their class schedule and assign-

You need to be mouthy sometimes.” — Jolene Howard, Amy’s mother

ments, and offer homework help. Many times, Lain said, there’s chaos at home and the environment isn’t conducive to studying. “The biggest thing to remember is that they’re kids,” Lain said. “As kids they need love, they need support, and they need to know they matter.” She works closely with students to help them see their full potential. If a student has spotty attendance Lain will review their classroom test scores and show students where they’re doing well academically. She also provides them with access to college and careerplanning resources. “We build the kids up and make sure they understand what their potential is.”

Amy’s Story

According to Howard, 2010 was a turning point for Amy. Her questions of uncertainty have been replaced with questions about summer activities, which include attending the L.I.F.E. Camp for children of incarcerated parents. Amy now understands, as best a 10 year-old can, that her father’s arrest and incarceration were not her fault. Howard said she wishes more schools would have a clear plan to refer families to resources and take proactive steps to reach out when educators learn of a child’s situation. An employee of the Initiative Foundation in Little Falls, she volunteers with the Morrison County Inside-Out Coalition to help other families dealing with incarceration. “My advice to parents is to be assertive and get involved with every decision at school,” Howard said. “When it comes to advocating for my kids, I’m mouthy. You need to be mouthy sometimes.” Amy still asks about her father, who will be released over the summer, but she understands that he is not coming “home.” Howard said that their future relationship has yet to be determined. IQ

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JUNE 2010

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funds were enough to purchase camp packs for ten children. In its seventh year, the L.I.F.E Camp was started as a way to help children cope with the reality of their parents’ incarceration. “These children don’t have a voice,” said Carrie Kane, correctional services and transitions coordinator for the Salvation Army Northern Division Headquarters. “Nobody is wondering what’s happening to them.” Sponsoring children to attend the L.I.F.E Camp is just one of the ways that the Inside-Out coalitions are supporting children of incarcerated parents in their local communities. Lucy Bauer, a licensed parent educator with the St. Cloud School District Early Childhood and Family Education program, facilitates the Stearns County IOC coalition. She said the foundation’s initial meetings uncovered a large unmet need for support for children with incar-

From the Outside In Kinship Partners, Brainerd Pam Bundy, program coordinator for Brainerd Area Kinship Partners, was surprised when she first learned that more than 30 percent of the children in her adult-child mentorship program are affected by a parent’s incarceration. “These kids definitely need some adult consistency in their lives,” she said, “and that’s one area where a mentor can make a huge difference.” It has in the life of 15-year-old “Anne,” whose father has been in prison since she was in elementary school. Anne will be 18 and emancipated before he is considered for release. Anne has grown to depend on her friendship with her Kinship mentors, Elise and Don Mink. They have been an important part of her life since she was 10 years old. “They help me a lot,” Anne said. “If I’m stressing over something I can tell them about it and they’ll give me advice. That’s a lot better than getting teenager advice.” Their friendship has deepened over the years, developing trust, traditions and fond memories. They laugh often and gently tease each other as they talk of volunteering together at community events, window shopping, eating out and attending sports events.

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cerated parents, particularly younger children. “I don’t think I realized how significant this issue was for others in our community who are serving families,” she said. “This is something that is in front of us every day when we are working with families. We thought, ‘Let’s figure out what we’re doing and what we could do better.’” Since January 2009, the Stearns County coalition has developed broad community support, with more than50 volunteers and professionals working together on various projects. A common theme among their priorities is connecting the dots—making sure people and programs are talking to each other so children and families don’t get lost in the system. “We have a lot of programs in place for children and families,” said Bauer. “We just need C ONTINUED ON PAG E 58

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Girl Scouts Beyond Bars Beyond Bars helps girls whose mothers are incarcerated at the Minnesota Correctional Facility–Shakopee. Carolyn Kolovitz, community specialist with Girl Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin River Valleys, works with groups of girls in the Twin Cities area, offering them the chance to participate in Girl Scout activities, summer camps and field trips. “These girls are the heroes in their own stories,” Kolovitz said. “They’ve faced challenges and villains. They’ve overcome challenges. Now they can decide where they want their stories to go from here.” Kolovitz takes the girls to visit their mothers in prison. Through guided activities, she encourages the mothers to share their dreams and aspirations and offer advice for mistakes they’d like their daughters to avoid. “They connect with each other and learn from each other in ways that would absolutely not happen during a regular prison visit,” said Kolovitz.

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Linda Kaufmann, Initiative Foundation and Lucy Bauer, Stearns County IOC Coalition

to figure out how to make things work better for that particular group of kids.” According Julie Kettner, regional coordinator for Child Care Resource and Referral, the biggest problem is finding the children in the first place. Through her work with childcare providers, she is involved with the IOC coalitions in Mille Lacs, Pine and Kanabec Counties. “How many children are out there? We don’t know. That’s what we’re trying to find out,” Kettner said. “There are no statistics. It’s not something that you tell anybody when you enroll in school. We’re trying to reach the families and caregivers through this project.” Although Kettner’s organization works to connect with family/friend/neighbor caregivers, they are notoriously hard to locate. They are not licensed and are often transient, changing addresses and phone numbers without notice. Children frequently move among several caregivers—aunts, uncles, siblings, grandparents— as needs and circumstances change. The IOC coalitions offer Kettner one more avenue to try to reach them. “The jail programmers I work with see this as a real chance to break the cycle of repeat offenders,” Kettner added. “They tell me, ‘A lot of these guys who are in jail, their parents were in jail. We don’t want to see their kids here.’ The inmates themselves will say, ‘I don’t want my kids to end up here. I’ve got to change things.’ “I’m thrilled that the Initiative Foundation continues to support this program. I know we’re going to see a difference. I know we are.” IQ 58 Initiative Quarterly Magazine

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JUNE 2010

All My Children U.S. Should Adopt Another Bill of Rights

1. I HAVE THE RIGHT to be kept safe and informed at the time of my parent’s arrest. 2. I HAVE THE RIGHTto be heard when decisions are made about me.

3. I HAVE THE RIGHT to be considered when decisions are made about my parent. 4. I HAVE THE RIGHT to be well cared for in my parent’s absence.

5. I HAVE THE RIGHT to speak with, see and touch my parent.

6. I HAVE THE RIGHT to support as I face my parent’s incarceration.

7. I HAVE THE RIGHT not to be judged, blamed or labeled because my parent is incarcerated.

By Nell Bernstein

8. I HAVE THE RIGHT to a lifelong relationship with my parent.

n any given day, one in ten Source:San Francisco Children of Incarcerated Parents Partnership American children has a parent under criminal justice supervision, be it in for kids to replace the “window visiting” they endure in most county jails jail, in prison, on probation or on parole. around the country, for example, he didn’t blink. Instead, he assigned a top jail Little is known about what becomes of children when their parents are administrator, the unstoppable Chief Al Waters, to work with us over what incarcerated. There is no requirement that the various institutions charged turned out to be several years (and counting) to make that dream—that with dealing with those accused of breaking the law—police, courts, jails right—a reality for San Francisco’s children. and prisons, probation departments—inquire about children’s existence, “Adult lives are shaped by childhood experience,” Hennessey had told me much less concern themselves with children’s care. when I was writing my book, All Alone in the World: Children of the Incarcerated. Conversely, there is no requirement that systems serving children— “If children are treated fairly, and see government as a place to receive assisschools, child welfare, juvenile justice—address parental incarceration. tance as opposed to something that takes away rights, they will be more likeChildren of prisoners have a daunting array of needs. They need a safe ly to reach out and respect government as adults.” place to live and people to care for them in their parents’ absence, as well as We work with every law enforcement agency in San Francisco, from everything else a parent might be expected to provide: food, clothing and police through probation, to help them see through kids’ eyes so that children medical care, for example. can grow up respecting the law without having to They also need to be told the truth about feel “split” in their loyalty to their parents—a loyalty their parents’ situation. They need someone to listen without judging, so that their parents’ sta“Children have committed that comes naturally to children. A criminal justice model that took as its contus need not remain a secret. They need the companionship of others who share their experience, no crime, but the penalty they stituency not just individuals charged with breaking the law, but also their families, might become one so they can know they are not alone. They need contact with their parents—to are required to pay is steep.” that played a part in stemming, rather than perpetuating, the cycle of crime and incarceration. have that relationship recognized and valued even After I wrote my book, everywhere I traveled I under adverse circumstances. And rather than was asked the same question: “What can we do to ‘break the cycle’ of interbeing stigmatized for their parents’ actions or status, they need to be treatgenerational crime, addiction and incarceration?” ed with respect, offered opportunity, and recognized as having potential. Too often, these needs go unmet and unacknowledged. Children While I honor the impulse to help, I often bristle at the question and its have committed no crime, but the penalty they are required to pay is implication that “the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree.” Over and over, children have told me that it hangs like a cloud over their lives and prospects. steep. They forfeit much of what matters to them: their homes, their safeA Bill of Rights offers a solid framework for what we can and must do ty, their public status and private self-image, their primary source of comto help families, but not because children of prisoners are predestined to live fort and affection. I coordinate a group called the San Francisco Children of Incarcerated out some “intergenerational cycle.” With the force of their own will and the Parents Partnership, which works with public and community agencies to backing of communities from San Francisco to central Minnesota and beyond, each child holds the key that unlocks his own destiny and infinite potential. IQ implement a Bill of Rights for Children of Incarcerated Parents. Based on interviews with children (bolstered by research), it holds fundamental the right to a lifelong relationship with a parent. Our effort to make the rights realities in San Francisco got a jumpstart Nell Bernstein is the coordinator of the San because our sheriff, Michael Hennessey, had already created some of the Francisco Children of Incarcerated Parents country's most successful crime prevention programs inside the county jail. Partnership. She is the author of All Alone in the When we told him that we wanted family-centered contact visiting World: Children of the Incarcerated.

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